Spinal fusion is a treatment protocol for a variety of spine conditions to include unstable spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, or recurrent disc herniations that lead to a breakdown or deterioration in the integrity of one or more facet joints that connect the vertebrae of the spine. A variety of hardware and techniques can be used to achieve bony spinal fusion depending on the underlying cause. In general a hardware system is used to position and fix the spine in accordance with a treatment plan, and to facilitate the bony fusion process after graft material is placed where appropriate for the ultimate integration of bone masses. Currently, spinal fusion hardware may include a plurality of screws (known as pedicle screws) with each such pedicle screw being anchored in a patient's vertebral pedicle. These pedicle screws serve as anchors and attachment points for rod(s), cable(s), and/or band(s).
The combination of pedicle screws and elements attached thereto stabilizes or fixes a spine's joint(s) as required for the particular treatment protocol. Even the most minor of spinal fusion procedures can require four or more pedicle screws and connecting rods. Unfortunately, each pedicle screw installation, along with conventional rods attached thereto, requires considerable soft tissue dissection/distraction, introduces injury risks, and can cause cracks or breaks in a patient's pedicle that require alterations in a treatment plan and/or consequential spine damage.